Iwobi Strike Earns Fulham 1-0 Win Over Hull City

Alex Iwobi’s composed 33rd-minute finish gave Fulham a hard-earned 1-0 victory over Hull City at Craven Cottage, a result settled long before a ragged, injury-hit finish that left both sides with plenty to rue.

Fulham had the greater share of the openings and struck when Sander Berge found Iwobi in the middle of the box. The midfielder swept a right-footed effort into the right side of the Hull net, supplying the only goal of a seventh-round Premier League fixture played in west London on Saturday.

Iwobi puts Fulham in front

1. Fulham began on the front foot, winning a succession of early corners and seeing Iwobi and Oscar Bobb have attempts blocked.
2. Josh King was a regular outlet down the right, though his 16th-minute shot was charged down after Iwobi had supplied the pass.
3. Hull’s Lucas Herrington was booked for a dangerous challenge on King in the 22nd minute, before Bobb tested Konstantinos Tzolakis with a low effort from distance.
4. Both King and Regan Slater received yellow cards after a 27th-minute clash.
5. Fulham made their pressure count on 33 minutes. Berge provided the assist and Iwobi finished from a central position to put the home side ahead.
6. The hosts continued to press before the interval: Calvin Bassey headed over, Bobb had a shot blocked and Iwobi narrowly missed after a corner. King also forced a save from a tight angle.
7. Hull made a half-time change, introducing Tim Iroegbunam for Herrington, but went in at the break one goal down.

Fulham cannot find a second

Marco Silva’s side had enough moments after the restart to make the afternoon more comfortable. King was denied from close range in the 53rd minute after Shea Charles found him, then Iwobi saw another low shot saved following Gonzalo García’s headed set-up.

Hull carried a threat without quite finding the final touch. Lewie Coyle dragged an effort wide from the right of the area, while Mohamed Belloumi later curled a left-footed attempt just beyond the right post.

1. Hull refreshed their side on 68 minutes, with Ryan Giles, Joe Gelhardt and Robinio Vaz replacing Brooke Norton-Cuffy, Sorba Thomas and Matt Crooks.
2. Fulham nearly doubled the lead in a frantic spell. García headed Iwobi’s cross against the bar in the 74th minute, while Bobb sent a shot wide from inside the area.
3. Hidemasa Morita came on for Slater on 75 minutes, but Hull could not turn their possession into a clear equaliser.
4. Fulham lost Bobb and King to injuries in the 78th minute, with Tom Cairney and Ryan Sessegnon taking their places. César Palacios later replaced García.
5. Belloumi twice went close late on, first firing just off target and then sending a free-kick too high.

Late disruption and a Fulham red card

The closing minutes had the untidiness of a side trying to protect a slender lead and another trying to force the issue. Berge was booked for a dangerous foul, while Cairney’s left-footed strike was kept out in added time.

Fulham’s afternoon ended with a further complication when Sessegnon was dismissed in the 94th minute for a foul on Vaz in Hull’s defensive half. Vaz required treatment and, with Hull having already used all their substitutions, was unable to continue when play resumed.

There had initially been three additional minutes indicated, but the stoppage for Vaz’s injury took the contest into the seventh minute of added time. Fulham saw out the remaining moments with 10 men, preserving Iwobi’s goal and all three points.

Key match moments